I have an idea for a sword, what kind of metal?

[arcangel]

Been drawing up some pictures and dimensions for a sword, well basic dimentions. It'll be 40 inches from tip to bottom of tang. 3 1/2 inches wide in some areas, and 1/4 inch thick in blade, and the tang either wrapped in chord, or wooden grips. Any ideas on metal would be cool. I will be grinding, and maybe temper it some as well. Thanks.

[old Grump]

Display, show or using, If using then CK55 is a decent choice and more affordable than some of the alternate choices.

Not exactly a good first project for a beginner, you might want to go out and get yourself some books and do a lot of reading and do a few small blades first. Keep us posted on your progress just don't hurry it.

[btcave]

I had a buddy make a broad sword using a leaf spring from a truck in a wrecking yard. He used a grinder to fashion the edges. It wasn't real pretty, but it would of done some damage.

[arcangel]

Thanks Grump for the advice, I've done a 3 blades about 2 years ago 2 done with files, and 1 done from an old bayonet. A friend of the fam bought them from me at a nice price. But havent been able to make more since, I was working on the road for a year, and moved to a different city almost a year now.

[arcangel]

I've heard of the leaf spring idea too, that would be a cheaper alternative. The blade design on 1 edge is based off of a upside down Katana, the other edge a Khurka and both sides going into a spear point.

[Blacksmith]

I've heard of the leaf spring idea too, that would be a cheaper alternative. The blade design on 1 edge is based off of a upside down Katana, the other edge a Khurka and both sides going into a spear point.

I second the leaf springs.
That looks about what this guy started out with.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgcdSk4QpyU

[Richard Simmons]

From what I've seen posted a lot of leaf spings are made from 5160 steel and should/do work quite well for everything from short fixed blades (a lot of Nepalese kukri are made this way) to swords.

The heat treat would most likely be the biggest issue. One article I found stated that unless you got it too hot while shaping and grinding the original heat treat of the spring should make for a satisfactory blade. That being said for something as long as a sword I'd think you'd have to heat it up to get the bend out of it and then re-heat treat it.

I'd be very interested in following your project through from beginning to end. Been thinking about trying to make a knife out of spring material for myself but hadn't quite decided how to go about it.

[arcangel]

Thanks guys for the tips, and ideas. Got a quick pic of what Im thinking about. Sorry about the quality of the photo.

[HDR]

I had a buddy make a broad sword using a leaf spring from a truck in a wrecking yard. He used a grinder to fashion the edges. It wasn't real pretty, but it would of done some damage.

A wise man. Springs are the material of choice for Kukri. The knife makers have mastered differential hardening of truck spring steel for a very hard edge area, softer middle etc.

http://vincentmetals.com/encyclopedia/index.php?title=Heat_treatment

[HDR]

arcangel,
Get a cheap vehicle spring; it is probably 5160 steel:


Considered a high-carbon alloy steel. As quenched hardness of 58 to 63 HRC. Used for a variety of spring applications, notably flat springs. Often uses Austempering as a method of heat-treating.
http://www.knivesby.com/5160.html

Some types of quench tempering aren't that difficult to do and HRC of 58 to 63 would make a nice edge.

[aliceinchains]

Them leaf springs make great pry bars to in the metal shop.

[arcangel]

Thanks guys, I've been searching around for junk yards in my area and found a few. So thats what Im going to do first. Today I took a delivery to a metal shop and got their phone number for future reference. They said they can cut the shape and I can go from there, and then take it back after I grind the blade, and they can heat treat it for me. With the leaf spring Im going to make a scaled down version to see if I like that, then make a fullsize when funds permit.

[HDR]

As I "like" the way a Kukuri/Khukuri is heat treated; I've read that you can use clay to differential harden metal.

[arcangel]

I've seen a video where a guy put clay on a small blade and used a propane tank style torch and paint pans for a forge then used olive oil to quench it. Looked interesting for small blades but the forge wouldnt work for a sword.

[Lysander]

I'd do a knife first, second, and fifteenth. Then I'd think about attempting a sword. A real sword, not a shitty wallhanger, is the result of hours of work, research, and a half a lifetime of skill. It is not something you hammer away at for shits and giggles on the weekend.

Honestly, I'd seriously recommend you pick up Ewart Oakeshott's "Records of the Medieval Sword" (http://www.amazon.com/Records-Medieval-Sword-Ewart-Oakeshott/dp/0851155669/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294540021&sr=1-2) for a basic understanding on sword evolution, design, and purpose. Then I'd find a couple translations of the treatises by either German or Italian longsword masters, or a translation of I 33 or one of the other fighting manuals, so you can grasp what a sword is actually supposed to do and how it is to be employed as a weaponsystem.

[HDR]

I've seen a video where a guy put clay on a small blade and used a propane tank style torch and paint pans for a forge then used olive oil to quench it. Looked interesting for small blades but the forge wouldnt work for a sword.

The Nepalese use charcoal and a primitive bellows. I'd take Lysander's advice and start small. The larger the workpiece the larger the forge etc must be. ;)

[robert]

A guy here in florida makes knifes out of railroad spikes. he sells them

[American Rage]

O-1 tool steel is what they used to make the best knives out of


Rage

[Lysander]

O-1 tool steel is what they used to make the best knives out of


Rage


Knives and swords have different purposes and require different types of steel, or at least different amounts of hardening. Think like axes where they have a soft(er) core and much harder edges.